Richard Branson's Virgin Voyages Becoming Reality

It's been years in the making, but now it looks like Virgin impresario Richard Branson's new cruise line will actually be setting sail. The first ship in the fleet of Virgin Voyages (previously known as Virgin Cruises) will begin construction in early 2017, and is scheduled to launch in 2020 from Miami for Caribbean itineraries.

The ship will be midsize, carrying just 2,700 passengers. To put that in perspective, Royal Caribbean's latest ship, Harmony of the Seas (also known as the largest ship in the world), carries 6,780 passengers. The size of the Virgin vessel will be more in line with Celebrity's Solstice-class ships.

While cruisers have been waiting for more details, the ship's name was not announced nor were specifics about the activities, restaurants, or décor on board. But if the vessels are anything like Branson's planes and hotels, you can expect a lot of style on board. Branson has said that he plans to attract travelers who may never have considered cruising before, especially younger fans of the chic lifestyle his brand touts who may never have cruised before.

Danielle Contray is the Brooklyn-based managing editor of ShermansCruise.